The NPIS (Birmingham Centre) is part of the UK National Poisons Information Service which is supported by the UK Departments of Health.

In common with other UK Poison Information Services, enquiries are not accepted from the public but only from doctors and other health care workers. 

Hospitals in the UK also have direct access to the UK NPIS computerised database on poisoning (TOXBASE) which is co-ordinated by the Edinburgh Centre of the NPIS. 

The intent is that doctors should consult TOXBASE before telephoning for more expert advice. 

The 24 hr emergency information lines of the NPIS (Birmingham Centre) are staffed by nurses employed on the tertiary level Treatment Unit, physicians and clinical scientists all of whom have extensive training in clinical toxicology.

The knowledge and experience of the NPIS (Birmingham Centre) staff is supplemented by an extensive collection of toxicology databases, literature searching facilities, some 350 reference texts and over 35,000 original references. 

Birmingham Centre is responsible for receiving and disseminating product safety information for pesticides, agrochemicals, biocides  and veterinary products marketed in the UK . To this end the Centre produces the NPIS Datasheet Compendium, a monthly CD ROM compilation of manufacturers datasheets, which is distributed throughout the NPIS.